Isabella X
by bella1916
Summary: Isabella X is a part of the Volturi's plot to create a new species to create an army. They are natural-born vampire hunters, with wings, sharp reflexes, and the instinct to kill. This story will take place from Twilight to Eclipse. Bella is not as helpless as we thought... Adopted from mrsnessieblack
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is a story I decided to adopt by mrsnessieblack. Hope She will not mine. Anyways chapters 1-6 are all hers but after that it will be my own story. I thought it was a shame to let a story like this go to waste. And sorry for not updating my other stories! I've been busy but I have been typing. Without further ado mrsnessieblack's story. Enjoy!**

"Move your arms," one man said. He was a good man, with a sweet voice. He also looked like a god. I did as he said.

"Now move your legs," another man said. He looked like a god, too. Everyone in here, save a regular mortal girl, looked like gods. I followed my instructions.

"Good," the third man said. He was the gentlest, the most kind. His long black hair looked like a hood. "Now, move your wings."

Everything was simple. I've done it for nearly a month. But I didn't know the people's names yet, or even my name. I flexed my long black wings.

Okay, here's what you missed throughout my whole one-month life. I woke up in a dark room. I was nameless. I was parentless. I wasn't even human.

The door to the room opened, and three men walked in. They told me that I was special. I wasn't human. They weren't either. They called me an angel. But that wasn't my name.

Basically, I've been living in this dark room for a while now. The men come to visit me every day. They tell me to do the same things, over and over again. I never really learned much.

There was one other like me. She had long brown hair, like mine, and large chocolate brown eyes. I don't know what color my eyes are. I hope they're the same as her's. Her's were beautiful.

Unfortunately, she passed by the only window to my room, and never lingered. I could never speak to her. I think my window is sound-proof. But I could still see. I didn't know then.

Every day, they would take her to the room alongside mine. I would watch as they took a needle and injected something into her. I watched as she fell to the ground, twitching, until she lie still. The men that took her into the room would shake their heads grimly and drag her by her arms into another room. I think they were reviving her, but I never stayed by the window to watch for her. But every day she would be perfectly fine, as if nothing ever happened the day before. In fact, she always looked a little curious.

Today was different, though. Today, they were letting me out of my room for the first time.

"I think she is ready, Aro," the light-haired god said, addressing the one with the long black hair. Aro nodded, clearly excited over something.

"Yes, Caius, I know. I can hardly wait. Marcus, will you tell Felix and Demitri that we will be testing Isabella X's durability?" Aro asked of the god with the wavy black hair. Marcus nodded and exited the room. Aro patted my arm.

"Isabella, I feel as though you're what we've been waiting for," he told me. "You are the tenth of your kind. We've been testing your reflexes for this moment."

"What is it that I have to do?"

"We will inject venom into you. It will hurt for a moment, but we believe you are capable of enduring it."

"How bad will the pain be?"

"If you wish it, I will have Alec erase your senses, so you will feel nothing."

"How bad-"

Marcus entered the room again, interrupting me.

"Demetri and Felix are ready," he whispered. Aro nodded and led me out of the room. I squinted at the sudden light outside. I was in the same room as the other girl. I watched her twitch, moaning, and then she was silent and still.

"Tis a pity," Aro whispered. "That is our ninetieth prototype. Felix, get rid of her. And come back quickly."

Felix nodded, and, along with Demetri, he dragged the prototype into the other room. I heard a gust of wind, and ten seconds later they came back, without the prototype. I saw a glimpse of the room before they closed the doors. The prototype was gone. I felt the heat from the room blow into this room. I gasped. They killed her. It was never the same girl! And I was next.

"Calm down, Isabella," Aro mumured as he lifted the needle. I winced as he pricked my shoulder. I felt the pain as he injected the venom into my body. I smelled the blood.

It smelled like rust and salt. It made me nausious. I felt faint.

I slowly fell to the ground. I wasn't twitching, I was just fainting. But Aro sighed.

"I had hoped..." he whispered sadly. "Felix, Demetri, destroy her, and her files."

Felix began to drag me into the room. The smell of blood wasn't as strong as my fear. In that instant, my senses were hightened. I felt the metal grate underneath me begin to heat up. I calculated that I had exactly ten seconds.

Holding my breath, I jumped up. Felix and Demetri both yelled in surprise. I picked up the folder that was destined to burn with me and let out my wings.

I have never flown before in my one-month-old life. I knew it wouldn't be easy. But I had to survive somehow, right? I jumped into the air.

I was actually pretty high up; about a hundred feet. But the large, towering shaft I was stuck in was higher. I unfurled my wings and gave them a long, steady beat. I was going higher. And higher! Oh, I was flying! I laughed excitedly and beat my wings harder.

The sunlight was brilliant. I squinted and flew off, looking down below. Children were running to catch up with me. Adults were either too busy to notice or were gaping at the strange creature with wings. I went up higher, so I was hidden among the clouds. I was free.

Landing by the beach on an old dock, I flipped through the pages of my folder.

Isabella X, it read.

A superhuman subject made to destroy vampires.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N So, I decided to post all the chapters that mrsnessieblack had posted up so I can get to work posting where she left off. So yea enjoy :P...**_

_A superhuman subject created to destroy vampires._

Intrigued, I continued to read. Vampires... Was that what Aro was?

_She is designed with a wingspan of twelve feet. When the wings are not in use, they will fold into her skin as if her back was smooth. No X-ray can detect them._

Hmm... Interesting. Twelve feet, too! I must be powerful.

_She is specifically designed to go on missions throughout the world to destroy any vampire that threatens to expose the vampire race. Venom shall not faze her. It will make her only more powerful._

So that explains why the venom had no affect on me like it did on the other Isabellas. I shuddered.

_She is half-way immortal. She can live forever but can still bleed. She needs oxygen to survive and food to eat._

Interesting.

_Her brain can take in up to fifteen thoughts per second. She can figure out hard problems in her head in less than half a minute. Her speed is also a key role in her missions. When she comes across a foreign language, she can process and learn the entire language in less than a minute._

So I can go to France and meet French people. Strange.

_If she comes across a hostile vampire, her first instinct is to protect herself above all else. She will also have the instinct to take down said vampire if they express open hostility. She will be able to battle the most experienced fighter and still win._

I'm not sure if I'm willing to go to a cage match with a vampire. But it would surely put all odds in my favor.

_She will put the mission above her emotions. She cannot love, hate, or feel remorse._

I felt insulted. Of course I could love!

_Isabella is purely a machine with a heartbeat. She will carry out orders and complete a task when told to do so._

Disgusted, I closed the folder. I looked behind me.

My wings had folded in. They were a part of my back now. It felt strange, having a bare back. I jumped off the dock and landed in the water. A boat was passing through. Time to test that speed.

* * *

The boat landed in New York. Everyone around me spoke in an unfamiliar tongue. A man came up to me in baggy clothing, wearing a cocky grin, asking me a question. I shook my head, uncomprehending. That was when the language snapped into my head. English.

"You wanna see my pad?" the man repeated.

"No, thanks," I murmured, walking away from him. He grabbed my arm and turned me around again. Three men flanked him.

"What was that, sweetheart?" he asked cruelly. He had a knife. Ohmygod, he had a knife.

I calculated my chances of getting away without a scratch quickly in my head. I chose the less gory plan and turned sharply, yanking my arm away.

_I have to get away from here_, I thought to myself. _Somewhere where no human will see me grow wings._

"Get her!" the man bellowed. I headed for an alleyway. I heard the men's feet storm after me.

"Now," I whispered to myself. I jumped and sprouted my wings, turning mid-flight to glare at the men. I decided to have a little fun.

"God is most displeased with you boys," I said in a cold voice. The men backed off a couple of steps. "He saw the evil in your minds and he will surely punish you. Consider this a warning."

I flew away from the city, then. This story was sure to make the headlines.

The birds all seemed to stay away from me. I flew next to some Canadian geese and they all watched me warily. They flew off without me.

I stopped at some small towns, managing to gather some food and an occasional shelter, to survive. I was shocked when I walked up to a total stranger and he nudged me away.

"I ain't got no money on me, vagrant," he muttered.

"I just want some food," I said. My stomach growled to second that opinion. My mind jolted, as if I was electrically shocked.

_Humans don't treat vagrants like people. They won't bother to give you anything. Try a policeman or a nun._

I found out quickly that policemen were out of the question. One of them tried forcing me into a homeless shelter. I broke free and ran into an alleyway, where I took to the skies.

I walked into a store on a Texas evening. The woman behind the counter shot me a dirty look when she saw my ratty and torn clothing. I looked at a packet of food hungrily. Without thinking, I snatched it and tried to open it.

"Excuse me!" The woman yelled. "You have to pay for that!"

"With what?" I yelled back at her.

"Money, vagrant!"

I was repeatedly whacked with a broom before I left the store. My brain shocked me again.

_Humans also worship green slips of paper they call money. You can call it a lot of different names. Cash, moolah, dough, bills, Benjamins..._

I sighed. I didn't _have_ money! I stepped on something on the way out. It was pink and sticky and wouldn't come off of my shoes. What is it? Once again, my brain zapped to life.

_Humans chew tree rubber, which is manufactured with artificial flavors like mint, cinnamon, lemon... etc. They can't swallow it, so they spit it out._

Ew. Let me say something. Humans are gross.

I flew every night so I wouldn't be seen, and every morning I either scrounged up some food or slept somewhere quiet. I tried to stay away from the hulking metal monsters humans called cars.

Funny thing, how I found out what they were. I was crossing a black part of the ground in California when somebody yelled, "Get out of the street, moron!"

I heard a loud honking noise and looked to where it was coming from. I huge red monster was going to attack me! My survival instincts kicked in, and I jumped up, doing a front flip before landing softly on my feet. I saw everyone staring at me. Was that unusual?

_Yes, stupid. Those monsters are called cars. People drive in them so they don't have to walk or run. They can kill you!_

Okay. Good to know. I huffed and thought sarcastically, _Anything else you might like to tell me about?_

Of course my brain was silent. I growled angrily. So I had to figure these things out on my own?

_Yes. It's how babies learn._

_I'm not a baby!_

_You're a month old._

_With the brain of an average eighteen-year-old!_

My brain was silent again. I sat in the corner of an alley and opened my folder, which I had tucked in safely underneath my jacket. A picture fell out.

Lifting it, I saw it was a crest. The crest of the Volturi. I lifted my arm, which I found one day to be a natural mark grafted into my skin. It looked exactly like the crest. I groaned. I'm _branded_. Like a _cow_. Moo.

I read through my files.

_Has the ability to breathe underwater for long periods of time; must come up for air after three hours._

Cool. Hey, look, Momma, I'm a fish!

_Is faster than a vampire in case she needs a quick escape._

I'm faster than a vampire? Well that's kind of interesting. How fast _are_ vampires?

_Must go through the line of duty and must never expose the vampire secret._

Well, well, well, Isabella. You've been naughty. "God is most displeased with you." I felt my wings twitch. I ached to fly.

_Her mind will teach her the cultures and rituals of the social life around her._

That explains my annoying zapping brain. Can it please teach me everything _now_?

_Knows how to drive automatically._

Drive those horrid things? No way!

_Can attract human attention. Isabella X must be careful in a mission. Human attraction can be risky._

That's just great. I'll be a freak show. I don't want humans to notice me!

I closed the folder and stared at my arm again. It was high up enough where everyone won't notice, and if they do, it'll look like a tattoo. I sighed and leaned my head against the wall. Tomorrow I'm going to Washington. Better yet, the rainy town of Forks. It was secluded and rainy, so nobody'll be outdoors often. I hope. I'd better come up with an alibi.

But for now, I'll just sleep.

* * *

It was definately cold when I got to Forks. I was hungry, too. I haven't eaten in a whole week. I was getting tired and weak. The rain was making my clothes and wings heavy. My eyes closed for a second, and I was falling.

I hit the asphalt with a thud, and I tried to look up. But I was too weak to even move.

Lights were approaching fast. I knew it was a car, and I weakly lifted my hands in front of my face. The car stopped. Somebody got out.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" a man asked. I groaned. "C'mon, I'll take you to the station."

I looked up into his eyes, and he gasped.

"On second thought, I'll take you home with me," he sighed. "You're in bad shape."

That was all I remembered, that and getting into his car, before everything went totally dark.

* * *

I woke up to the smell of food. I groaned and sat up. I was in a bed.

The room had an old computer, a rocking chair, pictures drawn by a five-year-old, and a large window. I sighed and wiped my face. Where was I?

I remembered as quickly as I thought the question. A kind man took me home. I got out of the bed and walked down the steps. I was clumsy. It was probably because I rarely walked. I always flew. And I just woke up.

"Good morning," the man said gruffly. He had on a jacket with a badge and a belt with a gun in it. My eyes widened. He was a policeman!

"Um, hi. You're not going to take me to a homeless shelter, are you?" I asked. The man chuckled.

"Not unless you want to," he said. "Here."

He slid a plate full of eggs towards me. I scarfed it down. He watched me with concern in his eyes.

"You been wandering around?" he asked.

"You can say that," I muttered, wiping my mouth with a napkin. I looked at him. He looked like a concerned father rather than a cop. I shook my head. "Why?"

"I was wondering why you were so hungry, that's all."

"No, I mean, why did you bring me home with you?"

The man sighed and looked away.

"It's a touchy subject," he said. "Get some decent clothes on. I'm gonna enroll you into high school. That is, if you want to."

"High school?" I asked. He nodded.

"Yeah. You're a little too young to live on your own."

He has _no_ idea.

"Okay, thank you."

"What's your name, by the way?"

"Isabella X."

"X?"

"Ten. X stands for ten," I mumbled.

"Cool nickname, Bella," he laughed. "X."

"Thanks." Bella? Oh, well, it was cool enough. Better than _Isabella_.

"My name's Charlie. Charlie Swan. I'm the chief of police, here. Nobody will mess with you, you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," I said. Would he really stand a chance against vampires?

As it turns out, I was already a big hit when school started. Boys wanted to walk me to my next classes. Girls would follow me around and giggle for no reason, acting like they knew me. I tried my best to stay away from everybody. Charlie had enrolled me as "Isabella Marie Swan." I don't know where he got the Marie from. When I asked him, he looked pained and went into the kitchen for more coffee.

"Why does he do that?" I asked my new friend, Jessica. Angela looked up from her plate and stared at me. Jessica only laughed.

"Ang, she's got to know sooner or later. I'm surprised the chief didn't tell you himself!" Jessica cackled.

"He had a daughter about your age," Angela said softly. "She died a year ago of leukemia. Her name was Marie. You resemble her a little bit. You have her eyes. And her curls. But Marie had black hair. Yours is brown."

"Poor Charlie," I murmured.

"It's okay, really. When he came in to pick you up, he looked more alive than ever," Jess said, smiling at me gently. "I guess he thinks his daughter is reaching out to him from beyond the grave."

Jess and her friend Lauren cackled again, while Angela stared at them. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes flared with anger. I looked around, trying to control my temper, until one family caught my eye.

They had pale skin and perfect complexions. Angela saw me staring at them and turned to look where I was staring.

"Oh, the Cullens," Angels whispered.

"Who're the Cullens?" I whispered back. One boy with tousled bronze hair snapped his head up to look at me. I blushed and looked down at the lonesome apple on my plate. I cupped it into my hands gently, trying to distract myself with the contrast between my albino skin and the perfect red skin of the fruit.

"Oh, they're Doctor Cullen's family," Jess laughed, as if it were an elaborate joke. "His wife can't have kids. They adopted them."

"The blondes are the twins, Rosalie and Jasper Hale," Angela whispered again. "The dark haired boy is Emmett. He's really good at PE. The small girl is Alice. And the boy sitting alone farthest from them is Edward."

I caught Edward stared and blushed again, staring at the apple in my hands.

"They're all BF/GF," Jess whispered, trying to catch me with juicy gossip. "I don't think it's legal, but they're, like, dating. Rosalie has Emmett, and Alice has Jasper. Edward can't find a girl here that's perfect enough for his tastes, though. Obviously he _has_ no taste."

I rolled my eyes. How many times did he reject her? Jess distracted herself by stabbing a leaf of lettuce repeatedly.

"They're not exactly related, except for the Hales. Other than that, Emmett, Edward, and Alice are related none whatsoever," Angela defended them. I was beginning to like Angela. She knew who to be loyal to. I could find a great friend in her.

The bell rang. Lunch was over. And I had biology next.

"Come to class with me, Bella," Angela said, pulling me away from Lauren and Jess.

"Um, okay. Which building are we in?" I asked, eager to get away from the gossip.

"C, I think. I'm not good at building names, just direction," Ang grinned. I smiled back. Yes, Angela was the perfect kind of girl I'd easily make friends with.

As it tured out, Angela's lab partner was waiting for her outside.

"Hey, that assignment's due today, Ang, do you have it?"

"Of course I have it," Angela scoffed, taking out some paper from her binder.

"Thanks. Oh, hello."

I waved at the girl and walked through the door. Mike Newton, a boy who I knew had an instant crush on me, looked at me with hopeful eyes. I immediately began looking for other available spots.

Oh, goody. The only other empty spot was right next to Edward Cullen. But seeing as I was desperate and I'd rather look like a fool in front of someone I didn't even know, rather than endure Mike's pickup lines, I headed for that seat.

I felt as though someone punched me in the stomach. My wings struggled to break free of my tight little jacket. I stared at Edward's cold, unyeilding eyes.

Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Isabella X is sitting right next to a vampire. _Oh, God..._

Edward glared at me. I tittered nervously and scooted away from him, trying more to keep my instincts from snapping than fearing him. My wings stopped trying to burst out of my back; instead, my hands grew increasingly hot. I felt my muscles build. Oh, great. My body thought I was unable to fly, so I'm turning into the She-Hulk. I crossed my arms and covered them with my hands, trying not to make my new muscles known.

Edward Cullen, meet Birdgirl. Birdgirl wants to tear you apart now, 'kay?

I tried to stay focused on the cells Mr. Mason was drawing on the board, but my instincts were pushing me toward Edward. Then Mr. Mason handed out fliers. Since Edward was on the outside, he had to pass my paper to me. Once his hand got close, I almost lost it. My wings pinched a little when they tried to burst out. I smiled nervously and took the paper. Edward's grip on the paper was firm. It ripped a little, and he let go forcefully, as if he struggled to control his hand. I saw it shaking as he pulled it back. I sighed to myself and chastisized myself for almost going berserk.

Edward suddenly got up, three seconds earlier than the bell, and walked swiftly through the door. I shuddered and pulled my stuff into my bag and around my shoulders. Mike walked toward me.

"Hey, Bella. Did you stab Cullen with a pencil, or what? He's never acted like that before," Mike said in a flurry.

"Um, no. He doesn't act like that around other people?"

"Well, I have his brother Jasper in English, and he flinches every time he's around a girl, but never once have I seen Edward Cullen cringe from a girl. An attractive girl, too!"

This time, _I_ was the one cringing. Now Mike's using this as a pickup opportunity? It was just so... Sick.

"Um, Mike?"

"Yeah?"

His face was hopeful. I'm guessing he was thinking I was going to ask him out or something. _In his dreams_.

"Lay off," I hissed. Mike paused, confused. I continued to stalk off for gym.

I tripped twice when I was running. Coach Clapp yelled at me to watch where I was going. I kept running, looking at the ground, all the while muttering random insults at everybody who laughed. Mike, who forgot entirely the message I hissed at him in the hallway, kept pace with me, snickering as he caught some of my useful vocabulary.

Gym finally ended, and I wandered toward the office to drop off my paperwork. The door closed a little too quickly.

I was stuck in a tiny little office, with a raging lunatic vampire demanding to have his schedule changed. I flinched when I realized that Biology was the main topic of Edward's concern.

I huffed under my breath and marched over to the desk, forcing a smile and slapping my paperwork on the counter. In the corner of my eye, I saw Edward's fist tighten, and his breath suddenly stop as he turned to glare at me. I turned to face him and glared right back. Edward abruptly snapped his head to look sharply at poor Mrs. Cope, who seemed a bit flustered at Edward's previous wild demands and my sudden appearance.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Cope, but I can see that task is impossible. I'll just have to endure it, then."

With another crazed glare at me, he left in a hurry, rushing out of the door. Was it possible for him to still be walking at this time?

"How was your day, dear?" Mrs. Cope managed after staring at the door for almost a minute.

"Fine," I lied, managing another weak smile.

When I got to my truck, unexplained tears began to form. I cried the whole way home.


	3. Chapter 3

It was impossible to say, "Everything went great from then on," because everything was _not_ great.

What were the odds that a _vampire hunter_ would end up going to the same school that hosts freakin' _vampires_? And then I remembered what Jess said. "Dr. Cullen."

Great, the vampire coven leader is running our hospitals! I cringed at the thought of what he'd do if a little girl came in with a cut or a scrape. I had nightmares thinking about it.

Another thing was that I was digging into a box this morning.

It was hard to reach, on the top shelf. I sighed and closed the curtains of my window and shut the door. I flew up to reach the shelf, and took down the box.

Inside were baby pictures of a little girl, a twelve-year-old girl with braces, and a seventeen-year-old in a prom dress. She looked exactly like me. There was a picture with her and Charlie at the way bottom of the box, along with a dusty prom dress and a stuffed bear.

The door opened. I blushed at being caught red-handed, but Charlie didn't notice. He looked sadly at the box and sighed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Marie. I guess I was selfish enough to want to replace her with you," Charlie said quietly.

"Charlie, I'm so sorry," I mumbled. I looked at the picture of Charlie and Marie again.

Charlie's smile in the picture was forced, like he knew what was happening to his daughter. It seemed to be the most recent picture, and even still, it was old.

"She died shortly after going to prom," Charlie said. "I was going to tell her no, but she said that she only has one life, and that one experience will be missing if she died without it. Her mom bought that dress. Renee left after Marie died. It was too much for her here..."

"I sort of wish I had a father like yours," I sighed, looking at anything but the picture.

"I'm happy to take you in," Charlie suggested.

"Thank you."

Charlie blushed, and he looked up at the closed window as he spoke.

"Um, go get ready. It's time for school."

"Okay, Charlie."

The truck was waiting for me outside by the time I was dressed and fed. I groaned quietly to myself before sliding into the driver's seat and sticking the key into the ignition.

What happened next was purely instinctual.

I slid out of the driveway and drove forward, heading in the exact path of the school as if I'd been driving for years. I was shocked to find that this truck was very comfortable and roomy. It was nothing like the cramped space of Charlie's cruiser, which made me feel like I was in a cage. I also found an old picture wedged, forgotten, in between the seat cushions.

It was a picture of a family. There were Native American twin girls my age, a teen boy, and an aging man in a wheelchair. They looked happy. The boy's grin was especially distinct. Were they related?

I stored the picture in my backpack for later and entered the school-yard.

Scanning the parking lot, I didn't see any pale, beautiful faces. Yet. I looked especially for Edward Cullen.

Part of me wanted to cower away, and pretend the hostile vampire beside me was nothing but smoke. Another part of me wanted to confront him, and show him exactly who he was messing with. It was hard to tell for sure which part of me had the upper-hand. I recieved curious looks from the other students, but I sent them death glares and they scurried away.

There it was. The ostentatious silver Volvo. I saw four pale figures swiftly slide out.

Wait- four? Where was the fifth? I saw two blondes and two brunettes, but where was the redhead? Where was Edward Cullen?

Three vampires glared at me as they passed. Only one was calm, and strangely excited at upon passing me by. That one was Alice Cullen.

Alice smiled softly and waved behind her siblings' backs. I automatically waved back, but lowered my hand quickly again. Why was I just waving to a vampire?

Jasper turned slightly and pulled Alice by the arm, bringing her close. Their heads turned again. Jasper's face was incredulous and angry, but all of that melted away when Alice's lips moved. He smiled apologetically at me and turned his head away.

What was it that Alice had said? What made Jasper's frustration melt away like that? I was so confused, my mind sent me half-answers.

"Bella!" Mike said, pulling me away from my train of thought. I blinked and turned to face him.

"Yeah?" I asked breathlessly. Mike must have thought my breathlessness was a plus, and hurried to ask me out- _again_.

"Um, _Iwaswonderingifyoucouldgotothemovieswithme!_?" Mike rushed, slipping on his words.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked.

"Movie. Me. Want to?"

Just then, Jessica appeared and gave me a curious look.

"Isabella Swan: The first girl to _ever_ pull a response out of Edward Cullen! What happened yesterday?" Jess asked. Mike's face fell. I reminded myself to laugh later.

"Um, he acted as though I were something he should destroy and then left," I explained, avoiding the question. Jess frowned. Clearly, this was not the answer she expected.

"Well, do you think he's incredibly hot?" Jess began again.

"I don't think he's incredibly hot. It's natural, not done on purpose," I growled, stalking into the auditorium. Jess shot me a confused look. I knew that deep inside, the girl in me was screaming agreements. _Yes! He's gorgeous! Drop-dead sexy! I wish I could go out with him!_

"Bella!"

"Hey, Ang."

"What was with Cullen? Did he hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine. I don't know about _him_ though..."

"Aw, let him suffer. He shouldn't glare at somebody like that."

I shrugged and went to English.

I paused.

Sitting in my partner's (Mike's) seat was Alice. She beamed and waved me forward, pointing excitedly at my seat. I shot her my crooked eye and went to sit next to Kendal Ingers, a boy with oily skin and messy brown hair. Alice frowned, and got up.

"Excuse me, Kendal, but would you mind switching with me?" Alice's soprano voice rang. Kendal smiled, giving us a full view of his braces. His eyes fluttered.

Was he trying to flirt?

I followed his eyeline and shuddered. I felt sorry for poor Alice.

"Suuuuure..." Kendal breathed, getting up. He shifted his body to "accidentally" bump Alice, but in a quick movement that almost blew her cover, Alice was to the side, and Kendal was falling on his face. The rest of the class laughed.

"Why did you decide to sit next to the perv instead of me?" Alice pouted when Kendal was seated.

"Because I don't trust you Cullens," I muttered.

"You can trust me! I already foresaw you being my best friend!"

I gaped at her. Alice's expression turned sheepish.

"Oops, I probably shouldn't have said that."

"Foresaw? You mean like, the future?"

"Yeah... I'm... I'm sort of psychic."

Oh, great. A potentially dangerous vampire, a psychic vampire... What next? A vampire that can read minds? (**_AN: Teehee, may-be!_**)

"Just leave me alone, Alice," I groaned. Alice stuck out her bottom lip, her eyes growing rounder and rounder by the second.

"But Bella-"

"What?"

"I already planned our first shopping trip!"

_Christ_.

"Alice, don't go near me, please," I groaned.

"No, Bella, I saw us as best friends and I'm gonna use you as a Barbie and you're gonna fit in and you're gonna be happy and you'll make Charlie happy and me happy and the school happy and Mike sad and most of my family will like you and you're with-"

Alice's mouth, which had been opening and closing at the speed of light, suddenly clamped shut. I stared at her.

"Who am I going to be with?" I asked calmly.

"Somebody," Alice spat out, trying to busy herself with her notes.

Something was wrong. Soething that Alice didn't want me to know. Why not?

The days passed slowly- too slow for me.

On the plus side, I sat at an empty desk in biology and lived without Edward Cullen's angry glare.

On the down side, I sat at an empty desk in biology and lived without Edward Cullen.

I made sure to check every morning for Edward Cullen to come out of the Volvo. Every morning, I got three welcome sets of topaz eyes headed my way and one set of eyes that did not belong to Edward glaring at me.

After I finally began to trust that Edward wouldn't show up, guess what?

I entered biology smiling as I laughed at a joke Angela recited. The smile wiped away instantly when I saw the seat next to mine was no longer empty.

Edward Cullen watched me as I cautiously walked over and sat down. I watched him back warily.

"I see you're waiting for me to act rude again," he stated. I felt my ears ring when I heard his heavenly voice.

_No! Bad Isabella! No crushing on the immortal enemy!_

I nodded grimly and turned to my work. Edward's hand reached out, pushing my folder down to capture my attention.

"I'm genuinely sorry for my actions, Bella," he whispered. I stared at him in shock.

I realized his eyes were different. They weren't black. They were a light shade of honey gold. It confused me.

When Aro and the rest of the Volturi were fed, their eyes were red. Why were the Cullens' eyes topaz? What made them any different than a normal vampire?

I realized Edward was waiting for a response and I stopped staring into his eyes, blushing and shifting my folder nervously. Why was I acting like a giggly schoolgirl in love? I didn't have a crush on a vampire, do I? I wasn't even supposed to love! I wasn't "made for love," as my information folder kindly put it.

"Um, no, it's fine. I guess I wasn't one-hundred percent either."

Edward's sudden laugh startled the whole classroom, causing everyone to look in our direction. I donned the look of a tomato and ducked my head down, reading frantically my notes from yesterday. It took me a moment to realize I was staring at the exact same word for about a minute.

"The." Way to feel stupid, Bella.

"You're the one who suffers my wrath and you say you weren't your hundred-percent best?" Edward roared. If there is no brighter red than infra red, I think I invented a new shade. I call it "Bella Red."

"Well, if I were my hundred percent best the other day, I would've told you to stop glaring at me like an animal, and that you mother should've knocked some manners into that thick skull of yours when she had the chance," I growled at him. Edward's face became sober instantly.

"You're really like that?" he asked.

"Only when something really pisses me off," I grumbled back.

"Well Bella, you shouldn't piss _me_ off. There's no telling what I'd do," he whispered quietly.

"Bite me," I grumbled. _That _was sure to set him off.

To my surprise, he didn't do anything but grimace and clench his fists. I'm pretty sure that if he weren't in a classroom full of humans, he would do just that. I was happy about it, too. It would give me a chance to unravel my wings and have a good, even fight. Maybe I'd even get a kick out of scaring the living crap out of the big bad vampire.

I glanced over at him with a slightly amused expression on my face. My expression turned to confusion when I saw him staring at me.

He wasn't staring at me as if he wanted to kill me. Instead, his stare was simply curiosity and dissapointment. What was he expecting?

"What are you staring at?" I demanded, feeling self-conscious. Edward blinked and looked away abruptly.

"Nothing," he whispered, almost to himself. "I just thought I could get a read on you."

"You must be a good reader, then," I mumbled.

"Somethimes," Edward teased.

"All right, reader, what did you get from me?" I asked, setting my head in my hands. Oh, my God, am I flirting?

Edward frowned. He stared at me in concentration.

"You're unhappy here," he said finally.

"Thanks, Sherlock. Now, about that reading-?"

"You miss your home."

"Hardly," I scoffed. "What kind of reader are you?"

"Usually a correct one," Edward grumbled. "Why don't you miss home?"

"Because I have no home. Well, my last home was in Italy. I ran away."

Edward looked at me in complete surprise and fear. He struggled to hide it when he spoke again.

"Isn't Italy one of the most romantic places in the world? Why would a girl like you trade a place like that for a dreary town here?"

"My experiences in Italy weren't exactly that romantic," I said truthfully.

"I don't belive that," he scoffed.

"Try getting close to a few members of the opposite sex and then narrowly escape with your life."

"They tried to kill you?"

"Yup. I got out."

Edward looked outraged. I knew the frustration wasn't on me because my instincts didn't flare up like they did last week.

"How'd you get away?" he asked again, trying to calm himself.

"I ran. Then I flew out here. I was all over the place before Charlie offered me a home."

"Really? You never found a place of your liking all over America?"

"Can I tell you a secret?" I whispered. Edward nodded.

"I don't really like it here, either."

"Why not?"

"First of all, it rains. Second, there's too many trees. I like the feeling of open space and freedom. And third, I have a biology lab partner that may or may not be a psycho killer."

Edward chuckled.

"Oh, look, we have a substitute," Edward murmured, breaking the conversation. In my peripheral vision, I saw Edward take advantage of the distraction and scoot away, clenching his fist.

"Sorry I'm late, class," the petite young lady said. The rest of the class murmured half-hearted encouragements and went on with their lives.

"If you were homeless, how did you fly here?"

Crap.

"I, um, I was offered a ride in a private plane by a flirty pilot," I mumbled.

"I don't believe that," Edward murmured.

"It's true."

Edward stayed silent for a while.

"You're an orphan, too?"

"Yeah. I'm not proud of it, so don't ask again."

"Sorry. I just never met another orphan that isn't adopted into my family."

My expression softened some. I guess I felt guilty for pretending to be human. Or maybe a really did feel bad for the vampire. Maybe he was good.

"I'm sorry," I said honestly. Edward smiled.

"It's nothing. I'm sure you suffered more than I did."

"No. My dad was already dead or never in my mothers' life to begin with, and my mother died shortly after giving birth to me. I never knew who my parents were."

"My parents died of a disease when I was seven." I thought I heard him mumble "teen" under his breath, to low for a human to hear. I gave him that.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. They told me to live without mourning the past."

"They were wise."

The bell rang, and in my hurry to pick up my stuff a ton of papers fell out of my school bag. I groaned and picked them up. A set of hands helped me.

These hands were not pale. Nor were they rock-solid and cold as ice. It was Mike Newton. Edward was already making his way out the door. Jerk.

After gym- where I fell down twice and once brought Mike down with me- I grumbled to myself and started for my truck.

"Bella!" Alice's tinkling voice yelled. I heard her catch up with me, matching her pace with mine.

"Hey, Alice," I said non-committally. Alice wrapped me up in a hug and whispered in my ear.

"Wear a sports' bra tonight."

She handed me a paper shopping bag. Inside were numerous sports' bras. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Um, thanks, Alice. Did you foresee me going for a jog down the beach?"

"No, silly it's for when you're... exercising your _whole_ body."

Alice lifted her arms and flapped her hands to imitate wings. My eyes widened and I dropped the bag. My mouth popped open and closed.

"I-I... You... I..." I stammered.

"It's okay, I won't tell anybody, not even my nosy brothers."

"You... I-I..."

"Thank me later. I have to go," Alice waved and danced all the way to the end of the parking lot, where Edward was waiting with his Volvo.

I went into my truck in a daze. I almost hit somebody's Toyota on the way out.

All the way from across the parking lot, I saw Edward Cullen and Alice Cullen laughing.

**_A/N Disclaimer; don't own either of these stories. Well at least not yet._**


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